Death and Sunsets
by Kiwi Werewolf
Summary: A very short ParaNorman/Coraline crossover which focuses on Wybie and Salma. Complete with romance, sunsets, and death. My first attempt at writing romance.


They are together at the edge of the lake, sitting very close, neither of them saying anything but simply staring at the picturesque scene before them. The sun is setting in a marvellous red-orange painting, and the clear and silent waters calmly reflect what is sees. The other side of the lake melts into the horizon, giving the impression that those who look are staring into another dimension, a place where earth and sky meet and those who are willing may cross whenever they please.

"Are you sad?" Salma asks him, still watching the scene. It is the first thing that has been spoken since they sat down on the bench to watch. Her glasses shine orange in the light.

Wybie is silent for awhile, and Salma thinks maybe he didn't hear her. "I don't know," he replies, in the new man's voice he now possesses, watching the dancing golden swirls that accent the water's edge dance up and down.

"I'm sorry." Salma looks down. She looks a lot nicer than when she did when she was eleven – she's waxed her eyebrows, got new glasses, changed her hairstyle and finally started wearing comfortable clothes. She still has her braces on, although they won't be on for much longer – another three months, perhaps.

"It's fine," Wybie reassures her. He has changed too, over the years – his hair is styled differently, he's started shaving his face, and he has finally grown out of his old firefighter's jacket and replaced it with a collection of t-shirts, hoodies and woollen jerseys. He also stands up straight now, and while he is still slightly socially awkward at the best of times, he's come a long way. "It's just… I don't know. She was a hundred and six, and she was so old, and I guess we all knew she was ready, but… I wasn't. And that sounds really selfish." Wybie covers his face with one of his callused yet gentle hands. "I don't know, Sal. This is all so confusing right now."

"I can't imagine," Salma admits, sadly. They are both still dressed in their black, formal funeral clothing, her in a dress, Wybie in a suit, although he has taken the tie off and undone the top few buttons. Wybie can't help but notice how pretty Salma looks. Salma is looking back at him and thinking something of the same sort.

"Do you think she'll come back?" Wybie asks, after another long moment of silence. The sun is further down in the sky now, and darker. The portal to the sky is closing, the colours leaving this world for the majestic palace of the sky. "As a ghost I mean."

Salma knows Wybie wants her opinion, and not just what he wants to hear, so she tells him. "No. I think her time here is done. She's with the sunsets now. She had nothing unfinished left to do." Salma tears her brooding brown eyes from the fading sunset and looks into Wybie's hazel ones. Wybie's eyes are slightly scrunched up, and wet. He keeps looking down and wiping at them, although he's not quite crying yet. "Wybie. She died happy." Salma reaches up a hand and wipes away a tear on his cheek. She leaves her hand on the side of his face when she finishes this. His skin is warm.

"I know, I know," Wybie says, reaching up and touching her hand gently, as he is always gentle with her. There is nothing romantic in anything they are doing. They are simply good friends, best friends. As they constantly tell everyone. "She earned it. She worked for it all her life and I can't think of anyone who deserves it more than her. But… I just never got to say goodbye. If I could say goodbye I'd be happy."

"She knew you loved her," Salma replies, taking her hand away to push her new thin black glasses up on her nose. "She knew everything you wanted to tell her. Sometimes words aren't necessary."

Wybie nods, slowly, thinking again. The sun has fully set now, and the lake is glass-like, still, alone now but not abandoned by the light.

And suddenly, for the first time in both of their lives, Wybie suddenly reaches forwards and kisses her. It is quick, and his lips are wet but hers are dry, and their noses bump slightly. Wybie pulls back quickly afterwards, looking alarmed at himself.

There is a long moment of silence in which they stare at each other, Wybie frozen, convinced he's done something wrong and unforgivable, Salma's face unreadable.

"I – I – I'm s – sorry," Wybie stutters eventually. "I – I – I just…"

He is cut off as Salma leans forwards and kisses him back. Wybie resists for a moment, stunned, and then starts wildly to kiss her back.

They pull away after a few minutes, panting.

Then reach back and do it again.

Afterwards, without saying anything, they leave the park bench and the lake for the next people to enjoy it, and they walk back to Salma's house holding hands.

Wybie's eyes never leave her face as he walks.

At Salma's doorstep, for the first time in his life, Wybie whispers to her that he loves her, and for the first time in Salma's life, she says she loves him back.

And then Wybie walks back home, alone now but not abandoned, with his hands in his pockets and his mind up in the clouds, with the sunset.

**AN**

_This is just a short story I wrote after reading the ParaNorman book, because everyone (including me!) wants Coraline and Norman to get together, but nobody really cares about Wybie anymore…_

_I'M SORRY WYBIE! I STILL LOVE YOU!_

_Also, if it's unrealistic or anything, _please_ bear in mind that this is my first ever attempt at writing romance. Ever. I'm more of a horror fan (which you'll know if you've read up to part 2 in my first story, Power of Three)._

_Hope you enjoyed it! Shoutout to IridescentMonochrome for all her help and support _


End file.
